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/% zvkzfl m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. CORLISS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

STEAM-ENGINE GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,835, dated January 5, 1886.

Application filed June 18, 1885.

To 51. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. CORLISS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Engine Governors, of which the following is a specificat-ion.

The purpose of the invention is to provide improved means of limiting the point of cutoff without reference to the speed of the engine, while leaving the regulator free to act to regulate beyond such fixed point.

I have devised means for raising and holding the fiy-ball governor up to any desired point without friction, so that while the governor may maintain control of the mechanism for liberating the valve and thus .regulating the speed of the engine perfectly so long as the conditions allow the engine to work expansivel y with a certain velocity, yet the moment the speed falls below a given rate the governor will cease to act and the action of the valve mechanism will not change further, but will remain unalterable until the speed again rises. I can change the point at which this device becomes available and the governor ceases to act as a governor.

In some cases it may be preferred to set the device so that the governor may admit steam and maintain the speed of the engine up to about the farthest point at which the cut-off mechanism can act reliably. My mechanism for changing allows such point to be determined with great accuracy, and to be changed from time to time, as may be expedient.

Inv some cases it may be preferred to set the mechanism so that the governor will be held up to a higher point than thisin other Words, to allow the governor to vary the point of cutoff only up to one-quarter or one-eighth, or some other portion of the stroke which may be preferred for economy of fuel, or for other cause, and to hold the parts rigidly in that position, refusing to allow the point of cut-off to be longer delayed, notwithstanding the speed of the engine may be lessened. I operate by simple and durable mechanism.

The invention is applicable to propeller-engines, to engines connected with a water-wheel Serial No. 168,597. (No model.)

or other auxiliary power, and to steam-engines generally. It may serve as a means of stopping or slowing the engine suddenly under any conditions.

When the engine is run in connection with a water-wheel or other auxiliary power, my in vention affords convenient means for maintaining the governor-balls at the proper elevation to fix the point of cut-off and limit the amount of power to be developed by the engine, while it at the same time leaves the governor mechanism untrammeled and free to act as a regulator to shorten the cut-off and correspondingly diminish the power developed by the engine in case the regular speed, which may under this condition of running be controlled by the auxiliary power, should from any reason be exceeded. It can be operated so as at will to suddenly cut off the steam entirely and stop the engine.

When applied to pumping engines, my invention fixes the point of cut'off to regulate the speed and limit the power to be developed so as to run the engine at any desired rate of service delivery. It the speed should, by reason of any accident to the delivery-mains, be increased, the governor is still free to act on the cut-off as centrifugal governors ordinarily act.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation, a portion of the driving-pulley being broken away to show the parts beyond. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to that in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

A is the fixed framework, certain parts of which will be designated, when necessary, by additional marks, as A A.

A is a hollow arm supporting the drivingshaft B, which, by means of a belt from the steam-engine running on a pulley, B, receives motion. This is transmitted by bevel-gear (not shown) to a vertical shaft, E, which is supported in the upright arm A. It carries, by knuckles at its upper end, arms F, carrying fly-balls F, connected by links G to a sleeve, H. As the speed of the engine varies, the centrifugal force or the gravity of the flyballs F alternately master each other, with the result to raise or lower the sleeve H, and by mechanism (not shown) engaging in a groove, h, change the point of cut-off of the engine.

So far as yet-described, the mechanism is of an ordinary and long-approved character.

P is a lever turning on a fixed center, a, supported on a fixed arm, A A center, 1), carried on the lever P, or on a short arm therefrom, as shown, supports an anti-frictionwheel, Q, arranged to engage under the lower edge of the sleeve H. A dog, R, connected to the lever P at 1) and controlled by a handle, R, and a spring, S, is adapted to engage successively with notches on the under face of a ratchet-bar, T, which turns on a fixed pivot, a". When by operating the handle R the dog R is moved downward, the ratchet-barT rests on a smooth bearing offered by the dog. and the lever P may be moved freely in one direction or the other to raise or lower the Wheel Q. On releasing the handle R the dog engages with the tooth in the ratchet-bar, which is then presented. It holds the wheel Q at one level or another, according as the dog is engaged in the different notches. This device is inoperative so long as the action of the governor holds the sleeve H out of contact with the wheel Q. IVhile the proper speed is thus maintained the governor regulates with its ordinary efficiency and effect; but when from any cause the speed is lowered, causing the sleeve H to rest on the wheel Q, the latter then commences to serve as an anti-friction wheel, turning with the motion received by friction from the sleeve H, and supporting the latter against any farther sinking, and consequently maintains the point of cut-off of the engine unchangeably. Thus conditioned, the governor mechanism is still on duty ready to serve instantly to prevent any too great increase of speed. A quickening of the engine sends the balls upwith the same freedom and produces the same effect in shortening the cutoff, as usual; butthe balls cannot be lowered and the point of cut-off cannot be made later in the stroke than that for which my lever P and its connections are set. Any reduction of steam -pressure or increase of load will lower the velocity of the engine below the properpoint. Theengine willcontinuetoturn at a reduced rate, working the steam expansively and economically. If the'load is still further increased or the steam-pressure further lowered, the engine goes still slower.

The slowing of the engine and the stopping may be induced under ordinary conditions at any time by pulling the lever P sufficiently upward.

The lever P and its connections may, whenever desired, be rendered entirely inoperative by moving it downward as far as it will go. This lowers the wheel Q out of contact with the sleeve H, even in the lowest position of the latter.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

I can dispense with the spring S and lever B, and employ other means of operating the dog R.

I can dispense with the dog R and confine the lever P by friction applied laterally, or by any other convenient means.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a speed-governor for steam-engines, of an anti-friction wheel, Q, arranged, as shown, relatively to the sleeve H, and adapted to afford a frictionless bearing for said sleeve and hold the governor out of action when the speed is below a certain rate without imposing any appreciable friction, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination, with a speed-governor for steam-engines, of the anti-friction wheel Q, lever P, springdog R, and ratchet-bar T, arranged to serve as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Providence, Rhode Island, this 2d day of June, 1885, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE H. OORLISS.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY MARSH, J r., WILLIAM B. SHERMAN. 

